Determinant of Inter-Pregnancy Birth Interval in Kassala, Eastern Sudan

Random household survey was conducted in Kassala State, eastern Sudan, from 1st March to 30st June 2013 to investigate the socio-demographic characteristics and reproductive data associated with short inter-pregnancy interval. According to the recent recommendations three subcategories of birth interval among the respondents has been measured as followed (I) short birth interval (less than 36 months), (II) optimum birth interval (36 to 60 months) and (III) long birth interval (above 60 months) categories [11]. A total of 692 women had been enrolled, the average of children per woman was 4 and the number of children for each woman ranged between two to 14. Among the total women, 419 (60.6%), 259 (37.4%) and 14 (2%) reported the optimum birth interval between the last two successive births to be below 36 months, 36 to 60 months and greater than 60 months, respectively. Again among the total respondents the mean (SD) of actual birth interval between the last two consecutive live births was 26 (95% CI= 1.3─1.4) month whereas the mean (SD) of preferred birth spacing was 38.4 (95% CI= 1.6─2.9). With regard to the associated risk factors while age, residence, parity, and occupation were not associated with birth intervals, mother education less than secondary level (OR=2.6; CI=, 1.3-5.2; P =0.004), younger age at marriage (OR=0.8; CI=, 0.8-0.9; P = <0.001), husband education < secondary level (OR=0.3, CI, 0.1-0.6, P = 0.002), utilization of contraception (OR=3.0; CI=, 2.0-4.5; P =<0.001) and number of living babies (OR=0.4; CI=, 0.3-0.6; P =<0.001) were associated with short birth intervals. Thus the results of this study call for urgent intervention to increase the mean child spacing period with certain consideration of the associated factors in particular educational status, early age of marriage and utilization of contraceptive methods.